Presently the most cost effective power generation alternative for meeting our future electrical energy needs is the coal burning power plant. Nuclear power is not thought to be a cost effective alternative for the near future because of the high cost of construction. Additionally hydro power is also not available for development in many areas of the country in significant amounts, and the cost of oil and gas fuels for electrical power generation have risen beyond competitive cost levels typical of base loaded generation. Thus, coal burning power plants have become the staple for electric generation, in spite of the high cost of pollution abatement.
A wood burning power plant is another alternative concept. Growing trees for fuel is the purest and cleanest form of capturing and storing solar energy. Also, the source is domestic and 100% renewable. The largest power application using wood fuel in the United States is at the generating plant in Burlington, Vt.
However, the conventional wood burning power plant uses wood fuel processed to woodchips, shreds, pellets, dusts, powder and other forms. Because of the cost of processing trees into appropriate forms for the power plant, conventional wood burning electric generation can not be competitive with other alternative energy sources for power generation such as coal, hydro and nuclear. Furthermore, such processed wood burns rapidly, frequently in suspension as it is injected into the furnace above the grates. In order to keep a constant and steady source of heat supplied to the boiler of the power plant, the processed wood must be supplied to the furnace at a precisely controlled rate.